1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pump stations, and particularly to a portable steel-reinforced HDPE pump station having a wet well made from plastic, preferably high-density polyethylene (HDPE), reinforced with steel.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Roman Empire was the first major ancient civilization to recognize and implement the use of sewers for general sanitation and storm water management. These sewers provided the ability to remove wastewater away from populated areas thereby improving living conditions and reducing the instances of waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Roman engineers developed sophisticated gravity sewers that conveyed wastewater away from urban areas to local streams and rivers. Since that time, sanitary and storm sewer systems have evolved.
With the advent of gravity sewer as a primary infrastructure component utilized in the development and maintenance of any modern society, there are instances where the use of gravity does not result in the successful conveyance of wastewater or storm water. Topographic conditions, physical improvements, geologic conditions, and property ownership matters may prevent the use of gravity sewers. In these instances, it is necessary to implement other wastewater and storm water conveyance practices. The most common practice is the implementation of a pump station.
A pump station is a device assembled from a variety of mechanical and structural components that, when combined into a working system, will permit the opportunity to convey wastewater from one location to another by mechanical means. The typical pump station configuration would typically collect wastewater at a localized lower elevation and mechanically transport or “lift” the wastewater to a higher elevation. The conveyance of wastewater is accomplished by the connection of the pump station to a wastewater discharge piping system, commonly referred to as a “force main”. The forcemain permits the conveyance of wastewater from the pump station to a point of discharge. The point of discharge is typically to a gravity sewer, another pump station, or a wastewater treatment plant or other such facility that would receive wastewater or storm water.
Conventional pump station designs developed and utilized during the past 150 years were typically constructed from steel and/or concrete. These materials were readily available and easily adapted to pump station construction and operation. However, it is fully recognized that these materials, while abundant and reliable, possess drawbacks relative to overall life cycle duration. In particular, wastewater exhibits aggressive corrosion tendencies related to the generation of sulfuric acid that results from the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas.
Gaseous sulfuric acid will attack and corrode concrete and unprotected steel, and after continued exposure and corrosion, will result in a structurally deficient system that can collapse or permit leakage of wastewater to the local environment or permit the intrusion of groundwater into the local sewer system. In any of these instances, the sewer system owner will need to provide significant repairs or total replacement of the steel and concrete systems, which tends to be very costly.
Thus, a portable steel-reinforced HDPE pump station solving the aforementioned problems is desired.